Four-Year Graduation Rate Dips for Chippewa Valley, Clintondale High Schools

The four-year graduation rates for students at Chippewa Valley, Clintondale, L'Anse Creuse North and Fraser high schools are on the decline, according to data released Wednesday by the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI).

While all four districts outpaced the statewide graduation average by more than 9 percent, the gap is narrowing.

Fraser High School saw the greatest dip, with its graduation rate dropping from 95.54 percent in 2009-10 to 85.71 percent in 2011-12. The district attributed part of this decline to the growing number of students needing longer than the traditional four-year time period to finish high school.

"More students are taking beyond the traditional four-years to reach graduation due the rigorous requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum," said Carrie Wozniak, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Fraser Public Schools, in a prepared statement.

"It is important that we consider the number of students who are off-track due to the rigorous curriculum requirements set before them, making the choice to continue their education and complete their diploma requirements to reach graduation within a five-year span," Wozniak added.

Chippewa Valley High School and L'Anse Creuse North experienced the next largest decline. Where Chippewa's graduation rate dipped from 94.28 percent in 2009-10 to 88.51 percent last year, L'Anse Creuse North's dropped from 96.45 percent in 2009-10 to 90. 12 percent last year. However, the size of Chippewa's graduating classes also increased over the same three-year period while L'Anse Creuse North's dropped.

Diane Blain, Chippewa Valley director of school and community relations, also attributed this decline to the heightened standards of the Michigan Merit Curriculum.

“It could be that this (2011-12) is the first class with four years of the Michigan Merit Curriculum,” Blain said. “Of course this curriculum has higher standards which could result in a student needing more than four years to complete their coursework.”

Blain added that students who have left one of the district’s high schools without a record request for another school could also affect the rates. These students are counted as “drop outs” even if they complete high school in another district.

Clintondale High School saw the smallest decline in graduation rate, dropping from 93.33 percent in 2009-10 to 90.65 percent. However, the school has also seen the size of its graduating class decrease from 154 four-year graduates, or cohorts, in 2009-10 to 126 last year.

The newly released data divides students into "cohorts"—a combination of students who began ninth grade in the district four years prior, and including students who transferred in or out within the four year period. So for 2012 graduates, the cohort includes students who began high school in Chippewa Valley or Clintondale in 2008, or transferred into the district before 2012 graduation.

The state also tracks students who were off track for four-year graduation but continuing their education, those who graduated or dropped out past the four-year mark, and those who completed their GED or reached the maximum special education age.

Across Michigan, four-year graduation rates for students expected to graduate last spring increased to 76.24 percent, up 1.9 percent from the 2011 rate of 74.33.

“These numbers reflect the highest rates we have seen since we started reporting the data using a cohort methodology,” said CEPI director Thomas Howell in a prepared statement. “This methodology allows us to track individual students from the first time they enroll as ninth-graders and has resulted in a more accurate measure of high school success for our students.”

More than 53 percent of Michigan’s school districts saw higher graduation rates. The largest increase in graduation rates throughout a five-year period were seen in several racial and ethnic groups. According to the report, rates for black students reached 59.93 percent last year, an increase of 3.64 percent since 2008. Hispanic student rates were at 64.3 percent, up 3.97 percent. This year’s rate reflects that 73.52 percent of multiracial students graduated in four years, increasing the annual rate by 3.52 percent since 2008.

“This is more positive news for Michigan public schools,” said state superintendent Mike Flanagan in a prepared statement. “This is reflective of how our teachers and students are succeeding with the rigorous Michigan Merit Curriculum and being better prepared to continue Michigan’s economic comeback. We must stay on this positive course and keep our standards high and Michigan Merit Curriculum intact.”

In an effort to better prepare students for these higher standards, many districts in Clinton Township have introduced credit recovery programs, online classes and summer school programs that can help reinforce skills for students struggling in a particular subject area. Chippewa Valley has also created standalone ninth-grade centers to help students adapt to the rigors of high school.

For more information about a certain district's student enrollment, including students who stayed in school longer to earn a diploma in five or six years, visit www.mischooldata.org.

Chippewa Valley High School Four-Year Cohort

Graduated

*Mohegan Alternative Education saw its graduation rate drop from 49.21 percent in 2009-10 to 18.6 percent in 2011-12.

Clintondale High School Four-Year Cohort

Fraser High School Four-Year Cohort

L'Anse Creuse High School North Four-Year Cohort